Configuring the NAM
This section includes the following topics:
Task Flow for Configuring the NAM
This section includes the following topics:
Basic Configuration
The basic NAM configuration includes the following tasks:
– Connect to a NAM server by providing the server’s IP address, protocol, and port.
– Establish account credentials.
– Associate a WAAS device group or WAAS Express device group with configured policies.
– Enable Flow Agent.
-
Configuring Sites—To display accurate data on charts and dashboards, every site on which WAAS is planned to be deployed must be configured on the NAM (see Configuring a Site).
Configuring sites involves the following tasks:
– Define sites
– Use definition rules
– Specify sites using subnets
– Specify the servers to be monitored by the NAM using the WAAS device’s flow monitoring.
– Enabling NetFlow and flow agent data sources on the actual devices, with the NAM as the collector, to automatically create the device entries in the NAM.
Advanced Configuration
Advanced NAM configuration includes the following tasks:
Configuring the Basic Setup
Only device group level policy configurations are applicable for NAM.
Step 1 From the WAAS Central manager menu, choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Setup
.
The Setup window appears. This window allows you to configure the NAM IP address and accounts.
Figure 15-1 Setup Window
Step 2 In the NAM Server area, provide the following information:
– Choose either HTTP or HTTPS depending on the access that was configured during the installation of NAM.
– Enter the hostname of the NAM server.
– Enter the IP address of the NAM server.
To set up a sites or sites on the NAM module, perform the following steps:
Step 3 To use the pre-configured login credentials to access the NAM server, select the
Use Default credentials
option. Proceed to Step 8.
The following preconfigured login credentials are specified in the Central Manager:
– Username—admin
– Password—admin
– Username—waasro
– Password—waasrao
These credentials work only if you configured the NAM with them explicitly after installation or you installed the NAM virtual blade with these credentials for POC deployments.
Step 4 In the NAM Configuration User field, enter the username of an existing configuration user on the NAM server.
Step 5 In the NAM Configuration Password field, enter the password of the configuration user that was specified in Step 3.
Step 6 In the NAM MonitorView User field, enter the username of an existing collection-view user configured on the NAM server.
Step 7 In the NAM MonitorView Password field, enter the password of an existing collection-view user that you specified in Step 3.
Step 8 Click the
Test Connectivity/Credentials
button, to test if the NAM server is accessible and to check if the user credentials that you specified are valid.
Step 9 The WAAS Integration Preferences area allows you to configure a WAAS device group to work with the NAM server.
a. From the Device Group drop-down list, choose a device group from which WAAS applications and classifier definitions are pushed to the NAM when performing a synchronization operation.
The AllWAASDevices or AllWAASExpressDevices device group is the default selection for POC deployments. For production deployments, choose a suitable device group with a subset of devices for which you require the NAM integration and APM functionality.
b. Choose the
Enable Flow Agent
option to enable sending of flow agent reports from the WAAS devices on the selected device group to NAM.
This option is disabled for WAAS Express device group because WAAS Express does not support the flow agent/flow monitor. In this scenario, you must use a NAM Performance Agent (PA) from Cisco IOS routers to view the response time metrics. The NAM charts that display response times in the WAAS Central Manager also automatically handle the PA from routers.
c. Choose the
Sync all classifiers/apps to NAM on submit
option to initiate a classifier and application synchronization with NAM and to apply WAAS definitions automatically.
Step 10 Click the
Submit
button.
Configuring a Site
A site is a collection of hosts, or network endpoints, partitioned into views that helps you to monitor traffic and to troubleshoot problems. These views allow you to see measurements of application performance on networks where WAAS devices are deployed and dashboards that show the traffic levels between sites and alarms levels per site. You can use other NAM features without defining any sites (the default configuration).
If you have set up sites, you can choose a particular site to view in the Interactive Report and view data relevant to that site only. In some cases, you can select both a client site and a server site to view data that pertains to the interaction between hosts at different sites.
Note If you configure multiple data sources for the same site, the same traffic might be accounted for more than once, which results in inflated traffic statistics. For example, if you configure the NAM to receive SPAN traffic for a particular site, and it is also receiving NetFlow records for that same site, both SPAN traffic and NetFlow records are combined into the traffic statistics. In this case, if you want to see only the statistics for a particular data source, you need to use the Interactive Report window on the left side of the window to specify both the site and data source.
Note Classification of received data from data sources to sites is done only after the sites are configured. Any old data from these data sources before the sites were configured are counted under the default 'Unassigned’ site.
The site definition is very flexible and can accommodate various scenarios. The site definition is used not only for viewing of data but for data export and data retention as well. Typically, a site is defined by its subnet(s), but a site can also be defined using the following rules:
-
Subnet (IP address prefix)
-
Subnet from a data source
-
Subnet from a given VLAN of a SPAN data source
-
WAE device serving the site
We recommend that you define sites using subnets whenever possible.
Note The same rule cannot be defined in multiple sites.
Note If you are configuring a WAAS device, you must add WAAS servers to the NAM. See Auto Creating a New WAAS Device.
To display accurate data on charts and dashboards, you must configure every site on which WAAS is planned to be deployed on the NAM. To get a breakdown of the traffic volume and response time for each branch and the data center, configure the IP subnets for all the sites that has WAAS deployed.
This section includes the following topics:
Definition Rules
Typically, subnets alone are sufficient to define a site. For example:
Site Data-Center = subnet 172.20.0.0/16
In certain scenarios when there are overlapping IP address spaces in the networks (for example, in private networks where hosts from different sites have the same IP addresses), you can use data sources or VLANs to differentiate the subnets. For example:
Site NewYork = subnet 10.11.0.0/16 from "NDE-NewYork" data source. Site LosAngeles = subnet 10.11.0.0/16 from "NDE-LosAngeles" data source. Site Sale-Dept = subnet 10.11.0.0/16 from VLAN 10 of "DATA PORT 1" data source. Site Finance-Dept = subnet 10.11.0.0/16 from VLAN 12 of "DATA PORT 1" data source.
This section includes the following topics:
Specifying a Site Using WAE devices (WAAS Data Sources)
For WAAS traffic, you can define a site associated with a WAE device without specifying the site's subnets. Simply select all of the WAAS data sources coming from the WAE device(s) serving that site.
Site SanJose = WAE-SJ-Client, WAE-SJ-CltWAN, and WAE-SJ-Passthrough data sources.
Note Cisco recommends that you use subnets to specify WAAS-optimized sites. Use this method only if the site's subnets cannot be determined.
Specifying a Site Using Multiple Rules
You can define a site using a combination of multiple rules described above. For example, if a site has both optimized and nonoptimized traffic, it can be defined using a combination of WAAS data sources and a subnet from a NetFlow Data Export (NDE) data source.
When you define a site using multiple data sources, be careful to make sure that those data sources do not have duplicated traffic to avoid counting the site traffic statistics twice.
Resolving Ambiguity (Overlapping Site Definitions)
Conflicting rules are not allowed in site definitions. Of the following two scenarios, the second one is not allowed:
1.2.3.0/24 from SPAN1 = SiteA 1.2.3.0/24 from SPAN1 = SiteB
Using a prefix is the preferred method. The data source and VLAN are secondary. In the following two scenarios, the first receives the higher priority:
WAE1-Client datasrc = Site E
The longest prefix has higher priority. It has the same data source/VLAN. In the following two scenarios, the first receives the higher priority:
1.2.3.0/24 from SPAN1 = Site A 1.2.0.0/16 from SPAN1 = Site C
The more refined (specific) rule has higher priority. In the following two scenarios, the first would receive the higher priority.
1.2.3.0/24 from SPAN1 = Site A 1.2.3.0/24 (any datasrc) = Site D
Viewing Defined Sites
You can view a defined site.
Step 1 From the WAAS Central manager menu, choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Sites
.
The Sites window appears. Defined sites are listed in the table.
The following details for the sites display:
-
Name—Lists the name of the site.
-
Description—Describes what the site includes.
-
Rule—Lists the first rule that is assigned to the selected site. If you see periods next to the site rule (...), that means that multiple rules were created for that site. To see the list of all rules, click the quick view icon (after highlighting the site, click the small arrow on the right).
-
Status—Shows if the site is enabled or disabled.
Defining Sites
You can define a site.
Step 1 From the WAAS Central Manager menu, choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Sites
.
The Sites window appears. This window lists the sites that are set up on the NAM module.
Step 2 Click the
Create
button. The Sites Configuration window displays.
Step 3 In the Name field, enter a name for the site.
Step 4 In the Description field, enter a description for the site.
Step 5 Check the
Disable Sites
check box if you want the NAM to skip this site when classifying traffic. This feature is useful if the site is no longer active, but you would still like to access historical site data in the database. Otherwise, you should delete sites that are not needed.
Step 6 In the Subnet field, enter the IP address subnet (IPv4/IPv6 address and mask); for example, 10.1.1.0/24.
Step 7 Click the blue
i
to get information about the site rules.
Step 8 Click the
Detect
button to tell the NAM to look for subnets in the traffic. See Detecting a Subnet.
Step 9 In the Data Source field, specify the data source where the site traffic is coming from.
Leave this field blank if the site traffic can come from multiple data sources.
Step 10 In the VLAN field, specify the VLAN where the site traffic is coming from. This field is not valid for NDE and WAAS data sources.
Leave this field blank if the site traffic can come from multiple VLANs.
Step 11 Click the
Submit
button.
Note The “Unassigned” site (with a description of “Unclassified hosts”) includes any sites that do not match any of your site configurations. Sites are classified at the time the packets are processed.
Detecting a Subnet
You can detect a subnet.
Step 1 When you click the
Detect
button at
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Sites > Sites Configuration
, the NAM looks for subnets detected within in the past hour. The Subnet Configuration window displays. This window allows you specify the details of the sources in which you like NAM to detect subnets.
Step 2 In the Subnet Mask field, enter the subnet mask.
Note If the bit mask is less than 32, the NAM detects an IPv4 subnet. If the bit mask is between 32 and 64, the NAM detects an IPv6 subnet.
Step 3 From the Data Source drop-down list, choose the data source in which you would like to detect subnets.
Step 4 From the Interface drop-down list, choose the interface in which you would like to detect subnets.
Step 5 In the Filter Subnets within Network field, enter an IPv4 or IPv6 address.
Step 6 Check the
Unassigned site
check box to include sites that do not match any of your site configurations. Sites are classified at the time of packet processing.
Step 7 Click the
Detect
button. The NAM finds those subnets that meet the criteria that you entered.
Editing a Site
You can edit sites that have been created. Note that the “Unassigned” site cannot be edited or deleted.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Sites
. A list of configured sites appears.
Step 2 Choose the site that you want to edit.
Step 3 Click the
Edit
button. The Site Configuration window displays.
Step 4 Edit the required field (Name, Priority, Data Sources, or Prefix/Mask).
Step 5 Click the
Submit
button.
Deleting a Site
You can delete sites that have been created. Note that the “Unassigned” site cannot be deleted.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Sites
. A list of configured sites appears.
Step 2 Choose the site that you want to delete.
Step 3 Click the
Delete
button.
Configuring a WAAS Monitored Server
WAAS monitored servers specify the servers from which WAAS devices export traffic flow data to the NAM monitors. To enable WAAS monitoring, you must list the servers to be monitored by the NAM using the WAAS device's flow monitoring.
Note The NAM is unable to monitor WAAS traffic until you set up WAAS monitored servers. The NAM displays the status of WAAS devices as pending until you set up WAAS monitored servers.
This section includes the following topics:
Adding a WAAS Monitored Server
You can add a WAAS monitored server.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Monitored Servers
. The WAAS Servers window appears.
Step 2 Choose
Select All
to add all the servers or select the required servers from the list.
Step 3 Click the
Add
button.
Deleting a WAAS Monitored Server
To delete a WAAS monitored server data source:
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Basics > Monitored Servers
.
The WAAS Servers window appears.
Step 2 Choose the monitored WAAS server to delete, and click the
Delete
button.
A confirmation dialog box displays to ensure you want to delete the selected WAAS monitored server.
Step 3 Click the
OK
button to delete the WAAS monitored server.
Synchronizing Classifiers and Applications
You can synchronize the WAAS classifier and application definitions with the application and application groups in the NAM. A classifier and an application in WAAS are equivalent to an application and application group respectively in the NAM. WAAS applications and classifier definitions from the device group specified during the setup configuration are matched with those in the NAM server that WAAS is connected to. WAAS classifiers can contain source and destination IP addresses while the NAM recognizes an application on the basis of port numbers. Hence, only the WAAS classifiers that contain port numbers are synchronized.
You can view the results of the synchronization by following these steps:
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Classifier/App Sync
. The
Classifier/App Sync Preferences
window appears.
The results are displayed under the following categories:
-
Conflicting classifiers/applications—You can choose one or all the WAAS classifiers/applications for synchronization with the NAM. By default, all the classifier/applications are selected.
-
NAM-only applications/application groups—Applications/application groups in the NAM are displayed. If required, you can manually add these definitions in WAAS at the device-group or device levels.
Step 2 To view differences in classifier definitions in WAAS and the NAM, click on the arrow next to
Classifier Definition Differences
.
Step 3 Choose the WAAS classifiers that you want to synchronize with the NAM applications and provide the required information to define the filter criteria.
Step 4 Click the
Go
button. The differences in the definitions are displayed.
Step 5 To view applications/application groups in the NAM, click on the arrow next to
NAM-Only Applications
. Information on the applications/application groups is displayed. If required, you can manually add these definitions in WAAS at the device-group or device levels.
Step 6 To refresh the Classifier/App Sync page, click the
Refresh
button.
Step 7 Click the
Submit
button to start the synchronization process.
Configuring a Data Source
Data sources are the source of traffic for the NAM Traffic Analyzer. Some examples are physical data ports of the NAM where you get SPAN data, a specific router or switch that sends NetFlow to the NAM, or a WAAS device segment that sends data to the NAM or ERSPAN and that goes to the NAM’s management port.
A new feature in NAM 5.0 is the auto discovery of data sources, in which you can click
Auto Create
so that the NAM can automatically discover the data sources. You can see details such as the IP addresses of devices that send packets to the NAM and the time that the last NDE packet was received (in NAM 4.x, this feature was called Listening Mode).
Note If you have configured sites, you can assign data sources to that particular site. If you do assign data sources to a site, and you also configure the data sources, the two could overlap because sites can also be a primary “view” into data sources. If there is a mismatch between the two, you do not see any data.
Note We recommend that you configure a site using subnets instead of selecting a data source.
The following areas contain specific information about the types of data sources:
-
SPAN
-
ERSPAN
-
VACL
-
NetFlow
-
WAAS
The NAM Data Sources window lists the data sources that are configured for that NAM module The fields are as follows:
-
Device—DATA PORT if it is a local physical port or the IP address of the learned device.
-
Type—The source of traffic for the NAM.
– DATA PORT if it is a local physical port.
– WAAS, ERSPAN, or NETFLOW if a data stream is exported from the router, switch, or WAE device.
-
Activity—Shows the most recent activity.
-
Status—ACTIVE or INACTIVE.
-
Data Source—Name given to the data source.
-
Data Source Details—Physical Port, or information about the data source being enabled or disabled.
This section includes the following topics:
Adding a Data Source for a New WAAS Device
The NAM uses WAAS data sources to monitor traffic that is collected from different WAAS segments: Client, Client WAN, Server WAN, Server, and Passthrough. Each WAAS segment is represented by a data source. You can set up the NAM to monitor and report other traffic statistics of the WAAS data sources such as application, host, and conversation information in addition to the monitored Response Time metrics.
Adding a WAAS device is not usually necessary because export-enabled WAAS devices are detected and added automatically.
To manually add a WAAS device to the list of devices monitored by the NAM:
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Data Sources
.
Step 2 Click the
Create
button.
The NAM Data Source Configuration dialog box appears.
Step 3 Choose
WAAS
from the list of Types.
Step 4 In the IP field, enter the device IP address.
Step 5 Check the check boxes for the appropriate WAAS segments.
You can configure the WAAS data sources to monitor the following WAAS segments:
-
Client—Configures the WAE device to export the original (LAN side) TCP flows that originated from its clients to the NAM for monitoring.
-
Client WAN—Configures the WAE device to export the optimized (WAN side) TCP flows originated from its clients to the NAM for monitoring.
-
Server WAN—Configures the WAE device to export the optimized (WAN side) TCP flows from its servers to the NAM for monitoring.
-
Server—Configures the WAE device to export the original (LAN side) TCP flows from its servers to the NAM for monitoring.
-
Passthrough—This setting configures the WAE device to export the TCP flows that are passed through unoptimized.
Step 6 Click the
Submit
button to add the new WAAS custom data source.
Auto Creating a New WAAS Device
If you have numerous WAE devices, you can set up the NAM to configure newly discovered WAE devices using a predefined configuration template using the NAM Auto Config option.
Note If most of your WAE devices are edge WAE devices, you might want to set the auto config option as an edge device, and manually configure the data center WAE. For example, choose the Client segment for monitoring.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Data Sources
. The data sources appear.
Step 2 Click the
Auto Create
button.
The NAM Data Source Configuration dialog box appears.
Step 3 Check the
WAAS
check box.
Step 4 Check the check boxes for the required segments. See Adding a Data Source for a New WAAS Device, for more information.
Step 5 Click the
Submit
button
to add the new WAAS custom data source.
Editing a WAAS Data Source
You can edit a WAAS device’s custom data source.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Data Sources
. The data sources appear.
Step 2 Click the WAAS device that you want to modify, and click the
Edit
button. The NAM Data Source Configuration dialog box appears.
Step 3 Modify the segments as required.
Step 4 Click the
Edit
button
to edit the WAAS custom data source.
Deleting a WAAS Data Source
You delete a WAAS custom data source.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Data Sources
. The data sources appear.
Step 2 Choose the WAAS custom data source that you want to delete, and click the
Delete
button.
A confirmation dialog box appears to ensure that you want to delete the selected WAAS monitored server.
Step 3 Click
OK
to delete the WAAS custom data source.
Setting Preferences
You can configure characteristics such as NAM display, audit trail, and file format preferences for the NAM module.
Step 1 Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Preferences
. The Preferences window appears.
Step 2 Specify the following preferences:
-
Refresh Interval (60-3600 sec)—Amount of time between the refresh of information on dashboards.
-
Top N Entries (1-10—Number of colored bars on the Top N charts.
-
Perform IP Host Name Resolution—Wherever an IP address appears, it gets translated to a hostname via a DNS lookup.
-
Data Displayed In—Data displayed in Bytes or Bits.
-
International Notation—Choose the way you would like the numbers to appear.
-
Audit Trail—The Audit Trail option displays a listing of recent critical activities that have been recorded in an internal syslog log file. Syslog messages can also be sent to an external log.
Step 3 Click
Submit
to save your configurations
Launching the NAM User Interface
You can launch the NAM user interface to perform advanced configuration and monitoring tasks.
To launch the NAM user interface, do the following:
Choose
Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Launch NAM GUI
. A new window or a tab (depending on your browser settings) opens displaying a NAM session that uses the existing login credentials.
Monitoring and Analyzing Traffic
The monitoring and analyzing traffic feature provides intuitive workflows and interactive reporting capabilities.
The monitoring and analyzing dashboards allow you to view network traffic, application performance, site performance, and alarms at a glance.
This section provides information about monitoring your network traffic and analyzing the information presented.
This section contains the following topics:
Navigation
This section includes the following topics:
Interactive Report
On most monitoring dashboards, you can use the Interactive Report on the left to redefine the parameters of the information displayed in the dashboards. Click the
Filter
button to change the parameters of the information that appears in the charts.
You can choose from various parameters, such as the time interval for the data being displayed. An asterisk represents required fields.
The reporting time interval selection changes depending upon the dashboard that you are viewing, and the NAM platform that you are using:
-
The NAM appliance supports the following short term intervals: Last 5 minutes, last 15 minutes, last 1 hour, last 4 hours, and last 8 hours.
-
The Branch Routers (NME-NAM) support the following short term intervals: Last 5 minutes, last 15 minutes, and last 1 hour.
-
The other platforms support the following short term intervals: Last 5 minutes, last 15 minutes, last 1 hour, and last 4 hours.
-
The Long Term interval selections (Last 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month) are disabled from the following dashboards: RTP Streams, Voice Call Statistics, Calls Tables, RTP Conversations, Host Conversations, Conversations, and Response Time Details Views.
-
A maximum interval for up to 1 hour is supported for the following dashboards: RTP Streams, Voice Call Statistics, Calls Tables, RTP Conversations, Host Conversations, Conversations, Response Time Details Views.
The From and To fields are enabled only when the Time Range is set to Custom.
Saving Filter Parameters
After clicking the Filter button in the Interactive Report and selecting the desired parameters, you can then save these selections with the purpose of viewing that same data at a future time. Enter a name in the Filter Name field. A filter is saved only be saved if a filter name is entered. Only saved filters are persisted across multiple login sessions. Click the
Submit
button.
This filter is now saved and displayed underneath the Interactive Report. You can save up to five filters.
Setting up Scheduled Exports
You can create a Scheduled Export to have the dashboards extracted regularly and sent to you in CSV or HTML format.
You can set up scheduled jobs that will generate a daily report at a specified time, in the specified interval, and then e-mail it to a specified e-mail address. You can also obtain a report on the spot clicking on the Preview button, rather than wait for the scheduled time. This report can also be sent after you preview it.
To set up a Scheduled Export, follow these steps:
Step 1 On most screens under
Network Analysis
, the Interactive Report is available on the left side of the screen. Click the
Export
button in the
Interactive Report
box. The
Create Scheduled Report
window appears.
Step 2 Choose the Export Type (Daily or Weekly).
Step 3 Choose the Export Time (when you would like the report delivered to you): Day and Hour.
Step 4 Choose the Report Time (if Daily) or the Data Time Range (if Weekly). This is the interval of time you would like measured.
Step 5 The Report Time for a daily report is restricted to the current 24 hours.
Step 6 The Report Time for a weekly report is always from 17:00 to 17:00, for however many days chosen.
For example:
If you choose Export Type “Weekly,” Data Time Range “Last 2 Days,” and Export Time: Day “Wednesday” and Hour “13:00,” the report will show data from Sunday at 17:00 to Tuesday at 17:00.
If you choose Export Time: Day “Wednesday” and Hour “18:00,” the report will show data from Monday at 17:00 to Wednesday at 17:00.
Step 7 Enter the e-mail address to which you would like the report delivered.
Step 8 Choose the delivery option (HTML or CSV).
Step 9 Enter the report description, which will appear at the end of the filename of the report delivered to you.
Step 10 Click:
-
The
Reset
button to clear the values in the dialog box
-
The
Preview
button to preview the report
-
The
Submit
button to submit the request for the scheduled job
-
The
Cancel
button to close the dialog box and return to the previous screen
Top Talkers Dashboards
This section includes the following topics:
Traffic Summary
The Top Talkers Summary dashboard allows you to view the Top N Applications, Top N Application Groups, Top N Hosts (In and Out), IP Distribution by Bytes, Top N DSCP, and Top N VLAN that is being monitored on your network. It provides auto-monitoring of traffic from all WAAS devices. You can view the Traffic Summary Dashboard by choosing
Monitor > Network Analysis Module > Overview.
You can use the Interactive Report on the left to filter the information for a particular site, data source, VLAN, or reporting time interval. You can specify just one type of criteria and leave the others blank, or specify all of them. You can also choose to view the rate or cumulative data from the Interactive Report.
When you log into the NAM for the first time, the default view is the Traffic Summary dashboard, and the top data source is selected by default.
The charts shown on this dashboard are as follows:
The Top N Applications Chart enables you to view the traffic rate (bytes per second or bits per second) or traffic volume (bytes or bits), depending on the Interactive Report filter selection (data rate or cumulative, respectively). When you place your cursor over the colored bar, you will see the number of bytes per second collected or the total bytes over the last time interval.
This chart shows a detailed analysis of the Top N application groups and the traffic rate or volume for this interval. In the Interactive Report, you can select either rate or cumulative, where rate is the bytes per second, and cumulative is the total number of bytes.
This chart displays the traffic rate (bytes per second or bits per second) or traffic volume (bytes or bits).
This chart shows the percentages of bytes that are distributed to IP protocols (for example, IPv4 TCP).
This chart shows statistics for the top DSCP aggregation groups.
This chart shows the Top N VLAN statistics. In this chart, you might see VLAN 0, which is for traffic that does not have any VLAN tags.
To see a chart in table format, use the View as Chart / View as Grid toggle button on the bottom right corner of the chart. You can also click the
Show as Image
button to view the image and save it as a PNG file.
When viewing the data as a Grid, the numbers are formatted according to what you have configured in Configure > Network Analysis Module > Advanced > Preferences. In that window, you can also configure the number of Top N entries you would like to display.
Top Talkers Details
While you are in the process of deploying WAAS devices, you can get data to assist in the WAAS planning and configuration. For information about setting up WAN traffic, see Adding a Data Source for a New WAAS Device.
When you choose
Monitor > Network Analysis Module > Top Talkers Details
, you will see the window that assists you in the predeployment process. Use the Interactive Report window to select the traffic you want to analyze for optimization. The window displays the Top Applications, Top Network Links, Top Clients, and Top Servers.
Based on the results, you can then configure the WAAS products to optimize your network.
Throughput Dashboards
This section includes the following topics:
Network
The Network dashboard enables you to view LAN versus WAN throughput for WAAS users both in the incoming and outgoing directions. To view these reports, configure interface groups that comprise WAN and LAN interfaces. The displayed information represents the total data collected since the collection was created, or since the NAM was restarted. To view the Network dashboard, choose
Monitor > Network Analysis Module > Throughput > Network
.
Choose an interface group view from the Interface Selector on the left side of the window to see traffic in the charts. Click the arrow icon to the left of the NDE data source name to display all interfaces groups, and then select an interface group view. If the charts show no data, and you see the message “Interface needs to be selected,” you have not yet chosen an interface group view.
Once chose the interface group view, you see the following charts populated:
-
Interface Traffic (Ingress % Utilization and Egress % Utilization)
-
Top N Applications—Ingress
-
Top N Applications—Egress
-
Top N Hosts—Ingress
-
Top N Hosts—Egress
-
Top N DSCP Aggr—Ingress
-
Top N DSCP Aggr—Egress
You can enter the interface speed manually through the Interface capacity table, or the speed can be auto configured if the SNMP settings for the NDE device are entered in the data source table.
Top Applications
In the Top Applications dashboard, you can view the top applications by the traffic rate over a selected time and for the specified site and/or data source.
Applications Over Time shows you all of the applications that have been running for the time period interval. The color-coded legend shows you what the applications are running.
If you place your cursor over any of the data points, you get more details about the exact values for each of the applications that are running.
Application
-
In the Application window, you can see the traffic level for a given application over a selected period of time. It is available under the
Monitor > Network Analysis Module > Throughput > Application
. This window shows you the following:
-
A graph of application traffic over time.
-
Top hosts that transmit and receive traffic on that application for the selected time period.
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Application Configuration that shows the criteria by which the NAM classifies packets as that application. This criteria is typically a list of TCP and/or UDP ports that identify the application. Note that some applications are identified by heuristic or other state-based algorithms.
Performance Analysis Dashboards
This section includes the following topics:
Application
The Application dashboard provides the transaction time performance for an application as well as the original and optimized traffic volume reported by the flow agent. Information about how the transaction time is broken up across client, WAN, and server segments is also provided. For example, if the transaction time is dominated by the server segment time (due to a slow server), WAAS may not be able to improve the performance as much as when it is dominated by WAN network time. To view the Application performance analysis dashboard, choose
Monitor > Network Analysis Module > Performance Analysis > Application
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The charts available on this dashboard are as follows:
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Transaction Time (Client Experience)
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Traffic Volume and Compression Ratio
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Average Concurrent Connections (Optimized vs. Passthru)
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Multi-Segment Network Time (Client LAN - WAN - Server LAN)
Conversation Multisegments
The Conversation Multiple Segments dashboard correlates data from different data sources, and allows you to view and compare response time metrics from multiple WAAS segments (data sources). To view the Conversation Multiple Segments dashboard, choose
Monitor > Network Analysis Module > Performance Analysis > Conversation Multisegments
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The Response Time Across Multiple Segments window shows the response time metrics of the selected server or client-server pair from applicable data sources.